Best Places To Live 2013

7. Mason, OH

At the helm is Mayor David Nichols. Formerly CEO of a publicly traded manufacturing company, he has helped bring several new employers to town — where they join an already impressive list of firms like Procter & Gamble and Mitsubishi.

These jobs, plus proximity to Cincinnati and Dayton, attract a diverse workforce, and the schools are among Ohio’s best.

The shopping, on the other hand is less varied. While Mason does have a few non-chain restaurants and shops in town, big-box stores are the norm. –I.S.M.

Mason, OH

Town stats

Median family income (per year)

$95,364

Job growth % (2010-2012)

4.90%

Median home price (2012)

$176,500

Reading test scores (% above/below average)

21.1%

Math test scores (% above/below average)

31.4%

Personal crime incidents (per 1,000)

0

Property crime incidents (per 1,000)

14

Financials

Median family income (per year)

$95,364

Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted)

$105,177

Sales tax

6.50%

State income tax rate (highest bracket)

5.93%I

State income tax rate (lowest bracket)

0.59%I

Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state)

$1,381

Job growth % (2010-2012)

4.90%

Housing

Median home price (2012)

$176,500

Average property taxes(2012)

$3,369

Education

Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles)

25

Reading test scores (% above/below state average)

21.1%

Test scores math (% above/below average)

31.4%

% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits)